Kamaru Usman takes number one P4P spot over Jon Jones following Jones’ arrest
Kamaru Usman is now the king of the UFC. The welterweight champion has put in the hard work over the last few years and now it has finally paid off. Usman has been hovering in the number two spot of the official UFC pound-for-pound rankings for some time now, but today he has risen in the ranks and taken out former number one Jon Jones.
The timing behind the eventual passing of Jones seems fitting. Usman has been active, he last defended his title against Jorge Masvidal back in April and is set for his next fight against Colby Covington on November 6 in New York City. Jones on the other hand has not competed in a year and a half. Usman is undefeated in 18 fights, a streak that goes back to 2013.
Another coincidental factor to this change could be Jones’ recent arrest. Jones was in Las Vegas for the Hall of Fame induction of his fight with Alexander Gustaffson when he was arrest by local police. What should have proved that Jones is a top fighter turned into another detail in his dark past.
The UFC rankings are made up by the voting of a panel of MMA media members. It seems they are not going to overlook Jones’ absence and trouble outside of the cage. However, it is not only Jones’ transgressions that led to Usman’s rise. Recently UFC president Dana White has been singing the praises of the welterweight champion. He publically stated that he thought Usman was the pound-for-pound best, and lo and behold he is now. Usman’s rise up these ranks has been a long time coming. If he is able to defeat Covington in November, he could be a permanent placeholder for that position for the foreseeable future, especially with Jones’ UFC return uncertain for now.
